4.8.16
large circle of bodies
yellow, brown, black
fill the square quad
rain drops down from the sky's face
my eyes don't breathe
my lips seal tight like a zip lock bag
my heart shakes
it doesn't know where the future goes
but
2 young womxn
sail from crowd
into center
proclaiming that next year
belongs to us
their voices invite
young buds of activism
first years
who tonight start to grow into rooted trees
into center
my eyes
laugh
my eyes sweat
my hand moves to cover my mouth
regardless
laughter escapes this cave
drips slide down the curves of my face
my heart chuckles
my mind remembers
my work doesn't die when i leave
it continues in the seeds
the budding first years
who i tend to
water
encourage
to grow
despite tonight's election's results
i love what happens after
i love the powerful feeling
when empathetic hugs from organizer friends
wipe away tears of frustration
when affirmations
fresh and well-baked
come out the ovens of hearts
when passion
sleeping in our cozy chests
awakens
this powerful feeling
familiar but unknown to me for long time
i now name in these specifcs tonight:
community ~
it's been a rough few last hours. for the first time, i cried about the pilipinx community. I didn't realize how invested i was in the work. i remember when i was a second year at ucsb and we lost big time in elections. i remember coming to berkeley and seeing that berkeley has a pilipinx endorsed senator and remembering how important that representation was to me that i willingly volunteered to get my friend elected. i understand that it is a privilege to have a senator in office for 15 years. i'm not complaining that we don't have one this coming year.
i look at this as a time to heal, to recognize our privilege. to realize that there are other ways to advocate as well. and to reassess our values and our needs.